Promise
by NimbusSeeker70
Summary: Neville and Luna one-shot from the day Luna was kidnapped by Death Eaters


**Disclaimer: I must not tell lies! I am not the wonderfully amazing J.K. Rowling, nor do I own any of the equally wonderfully amazing characters, magical creatures, spells, etc. used in this fanfictio****n.**

Luna sat next to Ginny in their usual compartment on the Hogwarts Express. It had been a long first half of the year without Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and the Carrows had been horrible, but Luna wasn't about to abandon her friends to the Carrows, even with the threat of a kidnapping hanging over her head.

"Are you alright Luna?" asked Ginny.

"Hm? Oh yes, of course," Luna lied. "I'm just looking at a man outside on the platform. His head is so full of Wrackspurts I can hardly believe he's even able to think at all!"

Ginny laughed a little, which was rare these days. She missed Harry terribly, and during the first half of the year, she'd spent most of her time crying.

There was a knock on the compartment door, and both girls smiled at Neville while he hauled his trunk up onto the rack. It wasn't until just a few months ago that Neville had really started to come out of his shell, and Luna had to admit she rather liked the new Neville.

Not that she hadn't liked the old, quiet Neville, but this new Neville was impressive and somewhat intimidating. She _really_ liked the new Neville. That was probably why her cheeks felt warm and Ginny was giving her an odd look.

Laughing nervously, she looked back out the window as her thoughts drifted back to the threats her father was receiving for supporting Harry Potter in The Quibbler. She was quite sure that if they Death Eaters were to take anything "dearest" to her father, it would likely be Luna herself, but she wasn't about to tell her friends this. It would only worry them.

"Hello Ginny," said Neville cheerfully as he sat down and the train began to move. "Hello Luna."

The sound of her name dragged her out of her deep thoughts. She really looked at Neville for the first time since they'd bid each other farewell before going home for the holidays. Most of his bruises had completely faded, and only one of the many deep cuts that had covered his face was still prominent.

"Hello Neville!" she said, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. "You're looking well."

"Thanks," he said. "Gran worked some magic on my injuries. Most of the non-magical ones disappeared pretty quick, but some of the deeper ones are still there." He pointed to the cut Luna had just observed.

Luna just nodded, and Seamus Finnigan appeared in the door of the compartment. "Hey guys," he said quickly. "Ginny there's a fourth-year Gryffindor girl looking for you. I think her name's Samantha..."

Ginny nodded in understanding. "I'll be right back," she said. "I promised to teach her the patronus charm and she's too scared to ditch class for Dumbledore's Army meetings. The trains the next best place to teach her."

"See you, Ginny," said Neville.

"Yeah," said Luna off-handedly. "Bye."

"Alright Luna," said Neville once everyone else was out of earshot. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" said Luna, trying to sound cheerful again.

"You're lying, Luna," said Neville. "I know you are."

Luna sighed. "It's nothing really," she said. "My father's just been getting blackmailed by the Death Eaters for what he's writing, so I'm a little worried is all." She decided not to tell him that she might be kidnapped.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much," said Neville. "You're dad's smart. He'll get out if they try to arrest him or something."

Luna nodded again. "You're probably right."

Ginny came back several minutes later and took her seat next to Luna. "That was quick," said Neville.

"Turns out she just wanted to know when we met. Her cousin was killed by Death Eaters over break and she wants to join up now," Ginny said.

"That's good," said Neville. "We could always use more-"

The train lurched violently to a halt, and Luna rubbed the condensation off the window to see outside. Three cloaked figures were boarding their section of the train.

"Death Eaters," said Neville in disgust. "What do they want now?"

"Me," said Luna, her heart jumping into her throat. "They're looking for me."

"What?" asked Ginny incredulously. Neville was staring at her too.

"That was what they threatened my father with," Luna explained hurriedly. She heard raised voices coming from the train. "They're here to take me away for what he's been writing."

"Luna I don't understand," began Neville.

Impulsively, she took his hands in her own. "Don't let Dumbledore's Army fall apart," she said pleadingly. "You need to keep fighting. Don't give up. Harry will finish whatever he's doing and he'll come back. He'll help us. But you need to keep fighting."

"Luna!" Ginny shouted as the figures appeared outside the compartment door. Ginny stood and held up her wand, stepping in front of Luna. Neville did the same.

"Out of our way," said a raspy voice. It was Fenrir Greyback. "You have something we want."

"You'll have to get through us if you want to get to her," said Neville.

"Very well," said Greyback. He nodded at one of his companions, who raised his wand and pointed it directly at Neville.

"Avada-"

"NO!" Luna shouted, throwing herself in front of her two friends. "Take me. Do with me what you will, but don't hurt him." With a jolt, she realized she said _him_, not _them_. She looked at Ginny apologetically.

"Luna what are you doing?" asked Neville, sounding helpless. "You can't just-"

"I'll be fine," she insisted. "But you have to keep fighting. Promise me."

Neville grabbed her hand in what appeared to be a desperate gesture to hold on, but what she felt wasn't the warmth of his hand, but the chill of a circular object. She noticed a glint of gold in her fist. It was a galleon.

But not just any galleon. It was one of the galleons Dumbledore's Army used to communicate with one another.

"Neville, I-" Luna began. But before she could finish, she was grabbed by the shoulders and hauled out of the compartment.

"Luna!" cried both Neville and Ginny. Neville ran out into the isle while heads poked out of the surrounding compartments. "Luna, don't worry! We'll keep fighting! We all will! I promise!" Luna could still hear Neville's shouts as she was dragged off the train, and she caught one last glimpse of his face through the window.

One of the Death Eaters pulled out his wand to apparate to who-knows-where, and Luna tightened her grip on the gold galleon in her fist. It was her only connection to Neville she had with her, and she was never going to let it go.

**Author's Note: Sorry about the slightly cheesy ending and the less-than-creative title, but I hope everyone liked it! As always, PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS! It means a lot to hear back about my work. After all, that is why I post my stories on here. Thanks in advance everyone!**


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